FVPD Chief Dan Llorens announces retirement

Fountain Valley Police Chief Dan Llorens has announced he will retire effective June 1.

In a letter to Interim City Manager John Sibley, Llorens said he has accepted a position with the Los Angeles World Airports as assistant police chief.

“I owe this city, our staff, this Council and our residents an enormous debt,” Llorens said in his letter to the city manager. “I left the Marines 30 years ago and found myself underemployed, to say the least. Having failed to convince three other police departments it was in their best interests to hire me, somehow Fountain Valley did. I hope by some measures my labors since that time have helped repay this debt.”

Llorens was appointed police chief on Nov. 17, 2011, becoming the department’s fifth chief. He replaced Paul Sorrell, who retired.

In his new position as assistant chief of airport police, Llorens will oversee the office of operations and be responsible for the day-to-day work of the officers, both at LAX and Van Nuys Airport.

He began his career at the Fountain Valley Police Department on Aug. 1, 1988, at the Golden West College Criminal Justice Training Center. He was elected class president, and received the academy award for marksmanship and the Director’s Leadership Award.

Llorens was promoted to senior officer in 1996 and sergeant in 1998. He served as a supervisor on SWAT and the Special Investigations Unit (narcotics and vice) before being promoted to lieutenant in 2001. He served as a watch commander, SWAT commander and internal affairs investigator before being promoted to captain in 2004

Llorens earned his bachelor of science degree in occupational studies from California State University, Long Beach. He obtained a master of arts degree in criminal justice with a graduate certificate in leadership of criminal justice organizations from Chapman University. And he earned his doctorate in organizational leadership from Brandman University.

Chief Llorens and his wife Tammy, a public safety dispatcher, have been married since 1990. They have an adult son and teenage daughter.

Llorens said he leaves with a great deal of admiration and gratitude.

“I just feel grateful to the city,” Llorens said. “Fountain Valley hired me and took a chance on me

and put me in the academy. I just have an overall feeling of gratitude.”